Caster bracket for cans



Sept. 11, 1951 D. COVIELLO CASTER BRACKET FOR CANS Filed Sept. 30, 1949 INVENTOR poMw/c/ COV/[LLO Kim/idea ATTORNEY Patented Sept.

PATENT OFFICE castes nitaoknr toe cans cevieno, swear, J: Application September so, 1945, serial No. 118,821 4 (01. 16:20)

This invention relates to an improved caster bracket utilizing a conventional or standard cast: er roller, and especially, but not exclusively for attachment to the bottom rim flanges vof ash cans, garbage cans, oil drums and the like,',to render the same easily and noiselessly rollable over the ground or other surface upon whichthey are usually dragged or rolled upon their bottom flanges. l v 4 p y .Y

The primary object oflthe invention is to provide caster roller brackets of the character indicated above whichare capable of being, easily and quickly installed without special skill in a secure and mechanically eflicient; manner to the bottom flange of such as an ash can, and ofbeing quickly and easily removed therefrom, without tools other. than a screw driver.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of caster roller brackets of the aboveindicated character which are of simple and. msged construction, involving a ininiinuin number of parts, and can be made in a serviceable and attractive form at relatively low cost.

Other important objectsand advantageousfeau e .o the, nvention wil b ap l rqmfi l i g ld fi f l l l lld t e mpanyi drawings. W l 1 i9? .pl if Q r s-lc Wfil F Q only, aspecific embodiment of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a bottom perspective view of an ash can equipped in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section taken on the line 22 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a caster roller bracket;

Figure 4 is an outboard elevation thereof.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the illustrated caster roller brackets 5 are shown installed on the bottom rim flange 6 of an ash can 1, a minimum of three brackets being required for rollably supporting the ash can in stable or set position on a supporting surface 8.

Each bracket 5 comprises a preferably onepiece body consisting of a horizontally-elongated, generally-rectangular and plane face plate 9 having inwardly-turned ends II], a bight portion ll of reduced width fixed to project inwardly from the lower edge of the face plate 9, and a similarly narrow, vertical arm I2 fixed to rise from the rear edge of the bight portion II to a point less than half the height of the face plate 9.

The face plate 9 has punched outwardly therefrom a series of similar horizontally-elongated Keepers [4 arranged in vertically-spaced align ment alongthe vertical center of the face plate 9 from top to bottom thereof. Four of the keep-'- ers 14' are shown, and they, in conjunction with the o'iitb'oard surface of the face plate 9, form a journal for the spindle I5 01" a standard caster roller H5. The caster roller it involves an annu lar shoulder II at the lower end of the spindle l5, upon which the lower end or edge of the bracket body rests, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, this shoulder enclosing bearing means (not shown) on the upper end of a laterally-offset fork IS in Which the roller wheel I9 is journaled. The. upper end of the spindle 19 has a cylindrical enlargement or head l5 and the lower end thereof a similar enlargement 16' which enlargements fit snugly between the outboard surface of the face plate 9 and the upperand lower keepers i4; whereby the spindle is journaled on th outboard side of the face plate 9.

A horiaont'al spring arm 22 secured at one end tothe face plate 9 at one side of the series of keepers l i' extends across the series of keepers with its free end 23 at the far side thereof; the intermediate portion of the spring arm 22 being tensioned against the caster roller spindle it be heath the upper enlargement or head l5; where'- b'y the spindle is releasably held up in place with theshoulder ll engaged with the under side of thebraeket body. c I

I" in be observed that in the event the action of the caster roller wheels 19 is not desired, the caster rollers are easily removable by pulling them downwardly so as to displace the spring arm 22 and 'pass the spindle head I5 below the spring arm 22, whereupon the bracket bodies can act as feet for slightly spacing the bottom flange 9 from the ground.

For removably securing a bracket 5 on the can bottom flange 6, the ends of the face plate 9 are traversed by adjusting screws 23, 29 positioned in horizontal alignment with a thumb screw 2| traversing the vertical arm I2. The device is simply slipped over the cam rim flange 6 and the thumb screw 2| tentatively tightened against the inboard side of the flange 9 so as to engage the middle of the face plate 9 with the outboard side of the flange 6. The adjusting screws 29 are then adjusted, if necessary, to position the face plate tangentially with respect to the rim flange 6 and equally spaced therefrom at the ends i9, whereupon the thumb 3 screw 2| is tightened to lock the device in place.

What is claimed is:

1. A caster roller bracket for installation on the bottom rim flange of a container, comprising a body comprising a vertical face plate to engage the outboard side of the rim flange, a horizontal portion projecting inwardly therefrom, a vertical arm on the rear end of said horizontal portion to rise along the inboard side of the rim flange, a screw traversing said vertical arm to engage the inboard side of the rim flange and force said face plate against the outboard side of the rim flange, journal means on said face plate, and a caster having a spindle journaled in said journal means and a rest engaging the lower of said body, and a swiveled wheel below said rest, said journal means comprising upper and lower keepers projecting on the outboard side of said face plate with said caster spindle confined between said keepers and the outboard side of said face plate.

2. A caster roller bracket for installation on the bottom rim flange of a container, comprisin a body comprising a vertical face plate to engage the outboard side of the rim flange, a horizontal portion projecting inwardly therefrom, a vertical arm on the rear end of said horizontal portion to rise along the inboard side of the rim flange, a screw traversing said vertical arm to engage the inboard side of the rim flange and force said face plate against the outboard side of the rim flange, journal means on said face plate, and a caster having a spindle journaled in said journal means and a rest engaging the lower end of said body, and a swiveled wheel below said rest, said journal means comprising upper and lower keepers projecting on the outboard side of said face plate with said caster spindle confined between said keepers and the outboard side of said face plate, said spindle havin an enlargement at its upper end, and a spring arm on said face plate and tensioned against the outboard side of said spindle and engaging beneath said enlargement and retaining said spindle in place on the bracket body,

3. A caster roller bracket for installation on the bottom rim flange of a container, comprising a body comprising a, vertical face plate to engage the outboard side of the rim flange, a horizontal portion projecting inwardly therefrom, a vertical arm on the rear end of said horizontal portion to rise along the inboard side of the rim flange, a screw traversing said vertical arm to engage the inboard side of the rim flange and force said face plate against the outboard side of the rim flange, journal means on said face plate, and a caster having a spindle journaled in said journal means and a rest engaging the lower end of said body, and a swiveled wheel below said rest, said journal means comprising upper and lower keepers projecting on the outboard side of said face plate with said caster spindle confined between said keepers and the outboard side of said face plate, said keepers being integral with the face plate.

4. A caster roller bracket for installation on the bottom rim flange of a container, comprising a body comprising a vertical face plate to engage the outboard side of the rim flange, a horizontal portion projecting inwardly therefrom, a vertical arm on the rear end of said horizontal portion to rise along the inboard side of the rim flange, a screw traversing said vertical arm to engage the inboard side of the rim flange and force said face plate against the outboard side of the rim flange, journal means on said face plate, and a caster having a spindle journaled in said journal means and a rest engaging the lower end of said body, and a swiveled wheel below said rest, said journal mean comprising upper and lower keepers projecting on the outboard side of said face plate with said caster spindle confined between said keepers and the outboard side of said face plate, said keepers being integral with the face plate, and punchedout of the face plate in the form of horizontallyelongated strips attached at both ends to the face plate.

DOMINICK COVIELLO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 127,571 Clark June 4, 1872 422,729 Clark Mar. 4, 1890 1,130,684 Brown Mar. 2, 1915 2,137,560 Anderson Nov. 22, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country I Date 339,189 Great Britain Dec. 4, 1930 

